Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
- 1,538
- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Mĕr'cu·ry's-fīn/ger, n. p. 830(Bot.) Wild saffron.Mĕr'cy, n. p. 830Disposition to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; inclination to forego justice, to remit penalty, or to forgive obligation, out of compassion for the offender or…Mēr'cy-sēat, n. p. 830The place of mercy or forgiveness; the propitiatory; the covering of the ark of the covenant, among the Jews.Mèrd, n. p. 830Ordure; dung. [Obs.] Burton.Mēre, a. p. 830Unmixed; pure; entire; absolute. Then entered they the mere, main sea. Chapman. The sorrows of this world would be mere and unmixed. Bn. Taylor. 2. Only this, and nothing else; such, and no more…Mēre, n. p. 830A pool or lake. Like softened airs that, blowing, steal, When meres begin to uncongeal, The sweet church bells began to peal. Tennyson.Mēre, n. p. 830A boundary. Bacon.Mēre, v. t. p. 830To divide, limit, or bound. [Obs.] Spencer.Mère'goutte, n. p. 830Wine, oil, &c., of the first running, before pressure. [Obs.] Holland.Mēre'ly, adv. p. 830Purely; unmixedly; absolutely; utterly; entirely. Ulysses was to force forth his access, Though merely naked. Chapman. 2. Not otherwise than; simply; barely; solely. Prize not your life for other…Mēre'stĕad, n. p. 830The land within the boundaries of a farm; farm. Busy with hewing and building, with garden-plot and with merestead. Busy with breaking the glebe, and mowing the grass in the meadows. Longfellow.Mère'-stōne, n. p. 830A stone designating a limit or boundary; a landmark. [Rare.] Bacon.Mĕr'e-tri'cious, a. p. 830Pertaining to prostitutes; having to do with harlots; lustful; as, meretricious arts. 2. Resembling the arts of a harlot; alluring by false show; gaudily and deceitfully ornamental; tawdry; showy…Mĕr'e-tri'ciōus-ly, adv. p. 830In a meretricious manner; with deceitful allurements.Mĕr'e-tri′cious-ness, n. p. 830The quality of being meretricious; the art of a prostitute.Mer-gân'ser, n. p. 830(Ornith.) A duck having a straight, narrow, and slender bill, wide at the base and hooked at the tip. These ducks form the genus Mergus. The hooded merganser is the Mergus (or Sophodytes) cucullatus.…Mèrge, v. t. p. 830To cause to be swallowed up; to immerse; to immerge; to sink. “To merge particular conspiracies in more general associations.” Burke. The plaintiff became the purchaser, and merged his term in the…Mèrge, v. i. p. 830To be sunk, swallowed up, or lost. This native irresolution had merged in stronger motives. I. Taylor.Mēr'ger, n. p. 830One who, or that which, merges or swallows up. 2. (Law.) A drowning, sinking, or absorption of one estate, or one contract, in another. Darvill.Mĕr'gus, n. p. 830(Ornith.) A genus of birds, including the merganser.Mĕr'i-cärp, n. p. 830(Bot.) One half of the seed or fruit of an umbelliferous plant. Gray.Me-rĭd′i-an, n. p. 830Midday; noon. 2. Hence, the highest point, as of success, prosperity, or the like; culmination; climax. I have touched the highest point of all my greatness, And from that full meridian of my glory I…Me-rid'i-an, a. p. 830Pertaining to the meridian, or to midday. The sun sat high in his meridian tower. Milton. 2. Pertaining to the highest point or culmination; as, the hero enjoyed his meridian glory.Me-rĭd'i-on-al, a. p. 831Pertaining to the meridian. 2. Having a southern aspect; southern; southerly. Wotton. Meridional distance, the distance or departure from the meridian; the easting or westing. — Meridional parts…Me-rĭd'i-on-ăl'i-ty, n. p. 831The state of being in the meridian. 2. Position in the south; aspect toward the south.Me-rĭd'i-on-al-ly, adv. p. 831In the direction of the meridian.Mĕr'ils, n. p. 831A boy's play, called also five-penny morris. See MORRIS.Me-rĭ'no, a. p. 831Of, or pertaining to, a variety of sheep of very fine wool, originally coming from Spain. 2. Made of the wool of the merino sheep.Me·ri'no, n. p. 831A thin fabric, of merino wool, for ladies' wear.Mē-ri-ō'nēs, n. p. 831(Zoöl.) A genus of rodent quadrupeds having long, slender, tapering tails, covered with short, slightly rigid hair. Baird.Mĕr'is-māt'ic, a. p. 831Taking place by separation, or division into cells or segments; as, merismatic growth, which occurs by a division of one cell into many.Mĕr'it, n. p. 831The quality or relation of deserving well or ill; desert. Had they no ground for hope but merit, that is, could they look for nothing more than what they should strictly deserve. Paley. 2. The…Mér'it, v. t. p. 831To earn by active service, or by any valuable performance; to have a right to claim as reward; to be entitled to; to deserve; sometimes, to deserve in a bad sense, to incur. This kindness merits…Mĕr'it, v. i. p. 831To acquire desert; to gain value; to receive benefit; to profit. And if in my poor death fair France may merit, Give me a thousand blows. Beau. & Fl.Mĕr'it-a-ble, a. p. 831Deserving of reward. [Obs.]Mĕr'it-ed-ly, adv. p. 831By merit; deservedly.Mĕr'it-mŏn/gĕr, n. p. 831One who advocates the doctrine of human merit, as entitled to reward, or depends on merit for salvation. Milner.Mĕr'-i-tō'ri-oūs, a. p. 831Possessing merit or desert; deserving of reward or honor; worthy of recompense; valuable. And meritorious shall that hand be called, Canonized, and worshiped as a saint. Shak.Měr'i-tō'ri-oūs-ly, adv. p. 831In a meritorious manner.Mĕr'i-tō'ri-ous-ness, n. p. 831The state or quality of being meritorious, or of deserving reward.Mĕr'i-to-ry, a. p. 831Deserving of reward. [Obs.] Gower.Mẽr'i-tŏt, n. p. 831A kind of play used by children, in swinging themselves on ropes, or the like, till they are giddy.Mẽrk, n. p. 831An old Scotch silver coin, worth about three dollars and twenty-two cents.Mẽrk or Mẽrke, n. p. 831A mark. [Obs.] Halliwell.Mẽrke, a. p. 831Dark; murky. [Obs.] Halliwell.Mĕr'kin, n. p. 831Originally, a wig; hence, a mop for cleaning cannon.Mĕrl or Mĕrle, n. p. 831A blackbird. The merl upon her myrtle perch There to the mavis sings. Drayton.Měr'lin, n. p. 831(Ornith.) A species of small hawk, of the genus Falco. 2. A wizard.Mĕr'ling, n. p. 831(Ichth.) A small fish; Merlangus vulgaris (Gadus merlangus of Linnæus); the whiting.Mĕr'lon, n. p. 831(Fort.) That part of a parapet which lies between two embrasures.Mē'ro-cēle, n. p. 831(Med.) Hernia of the thigh. Dunglison.Mĕr'os, n. p. 831(Arch.) The plain surface between the channels of a triglyph. [Written also merus.] Weale.Mĕr'māid, n. p. 831A fabled marine animal, having the upper part like that of a woman, and the lower like a fish; a sea nymph with a fish’s tail.Mĕr'măn, n. pl. p. 831MĚR'-MĚN. The male corresponding to mermaid: a sea man, with the tail of a fish instead of legs.Me-rō'p'i-dān, n. p. 831(Ornith.) One of a family of birds, characterized by being usually of a green color, and by having long, slightly arched beaks, and long, pointed wings; the bee-eater.Mēr'ops, n. p. 831(Ornith.) A genus of birds; the bee-eater. See BEE-EATER.Mer-ôr'gan-i-zā'tion, n. p. 831An organization not fully completed, or made only in part; partial organization. [Rare.]Mĕr'ri-ly, adv. p. 831In a merry manner; with mirth; with gayety and laughter; jovially. See MIRTH and MERRY. Merrily sing, and sport, and play.Mĕr'ri-māke, n. p. 831A meeting for mirth; a festival; mirth. [Written also merry-make.]Mĕr'ri-māke, v. i. p. 831To make merry; to be merry or jovial; to feast. [Written also merry-make.] Gay.